Desperate Measures
by Anony-Mousy
Summary: Sue is poised to start a new relationship but how will Jack react?


**A/N**: Another one shot. I think I can get away with K+ on this one as there's nothing graphic. :-D

**Disclaimer**: The characters don't belong to me, they belong to Paxson Entertainment. I'm just having a bit of fun with them.

**Key**: Signing in **bold. **~ thoughts ~

Desperate Measures

He'd made a superhuman effort not to watch or listen to the conversation between the two women but as always, the more he tried not to stare the more he had. They had been talking animatedly since they'd arrived at work half-an-hour ago…

"So, are you going to meet him?" Lucy asked excitedly.

"I don't know." Sue glanced guiltily in Jack's direction but after years of practice, he managed to look away at the last second.

"Don't be silly," the rotor chided. "He's coming all the way across the States just to meet up with you again. I think it's romantic."

"Luce…"

"Go! What have you got to lose?"

Sue threw up her hands in mock surrender. "Okay, but I'm going to need a new outfit."

The phone rang on Lucy's desk and she got up to answer it, "Sue Thomas and Jonathan Hammond… who would have thought?" Both women were startled out of their reverie when Jack stood abruptly, strode past them and out of the door.

"Whoa," the dark-haired woman observed. "There goes an unhappy man."

Sue frowned as she stared after him.

o-xxx-o

Returning to the bullpen almost an hour later, Jack crossed the room to talk to Bobby without even a glance in her direction and she noticed that he carefully positioned himself so that she couldn't see his lips.

"Bobby, a word…" He ushered his friend further away from her.

"What's up, Mate?"

"How would you feel about taking over as Sue's T.O?"

"Why? You had a better offer?"

"Yeah, kinda… I'm transferring to California."

"You're what?"

"You heard me. Would you take her on?"

"In a heartbeat, you know that."

"Thanks." He put a hand on his friend's arm. "Take care of her for me Crash and please, keep this to yourself for now."

The taller man cast a glance in the woman's direction. "When are you going to tell her?"

"That's a good question." He walked to his desk and sat down still studiously avoiding her eyes.

The Aussie watched him in disbelief, his expression betraying the concern that Sue couldn't fail to notice.

o-xxx-o

Towards the end of the day, Jack was mentally preparing himself for the confrontation to come when Myles returned after hours of chasing down witnesses. Without bothering to greet his colleagues he crossed straight to Jack's desk and rapped on it to get his attention.

"So, I hear you're leaving us for warmer climes? Any idea who'll be taking your place as Team Leader? If not, I'd like to put myself forward. I have been an Agent for more than ten years now and I think I've earned that right. I'll even take on Thomas if you want me to."

All eyes turned to the two men except for Bobby's… he was looking worriedly at Sue.

o-xxx-o

Jack had made his escape from the bullpen almost immediately and driven back to his apartment. Now, in the solitude of his own company, he replayed the day's events in his mind wondering if he'd done the right thing. It had been a spur-of-the-moment decision when he'd heard that she was about to embark on another new relationship. Well, in this case, an earlier one rekindled. Then again, it wouldn't have mattered who it was, just that it was going to happen and he'd felt his heart start to break once more. It was becoming harder and harder with each man that touched her life and he knew that this time he wouldn't be able to handle it. He couldn't watch her falling in love with someone who wasn't him or stand the thought of having to listen to the blow-by-blow details of their dates as she sung his praises to Tara and Lucy. He'd hurt her today he knew but it had been a case of self-preservation. It was either that or let her shatter him into a million tiny pieces.

Having managed to justify his actions to himself, at least for the time being, he emptied his pockets tossing the contents onto the chair and headed to the bathroom for a long, leisurely shower. He was stopped in his tracks by a knock at the door.

Expecting it to be Bobby he'd quickly built up a head of steam, bracing himself for a full-scale war and when he opened it to find Sue standing there, he wasn't able to cool down again in time to greet her properly.

"Can I come in?" She eyed him warily not knowing what to expect. Twenty-four hours ago she would have been sure of herself… sure of him… but now she was beginning to wonder if she'd ever really known him at all.

He stepped aside so that she could enter but didn't speak.

"What's going on?" She asked breathlessly.

"Nothing, I was just about to take a shower."

"That's not what I meant and you know it."

He shrugged and put a little more space between them.

She tried again, irritation obvious in her voice this time. "Why are you transferring?"

He bristled at her tone, his temper still simmering. "I think that's my business, don't you?"

"Not when it affects the whole team."

There it was again, always the unit, never just her. "They'll survive without me, I'm sure."

"Jack, please talk to me." She reached out to touch him but he evaded her hand.

~ God, this was hard ~ "There's nothing to talk about."

"Well, I think there is," she countered.

"And I say you're wrong."

They eyed each other with barely concealed anger and then she sighed in defeat. "Well, I guess that's it then. Goodbye Jack, have a nice life." She turned on her heel and walked out of the apartment, slamming the door behind her.

"Sue…" He called after her knowing it was futile, his hands, balled into fists at his sides, relaxing as all the fight drained out of him and he flopped down onto the couch, running his fingers wearily through his hair as he stared dejectedly at the floor.

o-xxx-o

The next morning he felt somewhat better, having spent the night rationalising his actions and now everything was neatly compartmentalised in his mind. The new job would be a fresh start… There'd be sunshine and beaches instead of snow and traffic and maybe, just maybe, the chance of meeting a woman who actually cared about him. A relationship not blighted by rules, regulations and well-meaning friends, and… all female work colleagues would be strictly off-limits. No, this time he would get it right – there was just one more thing he had to do, one person he needed to make his peace with.

As he entered the bullpen his new-found optimism began to fade when he was greeted with a mixture of frozen or hurt stares or in Bobby's case, complete indifference. Making his way to his desk, he booted his computer so that he could begin the arduous task of closing out his case files, one eye on the door waiting for her to appear. About forty-five minutes later a movement caught his attention and he was surprised to see Lucy come in alone. He took a moment to compose himself before walking over to her.

"Lucy…"

She looked up and he found himself face-to-face with a woman who could barely control her temper. "Agent Hudson…"

Jack cringed inwardly. "Have you seen Sue this morning?"

The rotor blew out a breath. "Now there's a stupid question! I share an apartment with her, remember."

"Okay…" He flinched under her gaze. "Then where's Sue this morning? I need to talk to her."

"Don't you think you've already said enough?" She asked in a conciliatory tone that grated on his already frazzled nerves.

"I'm still her Training Officer and I need to speak to her." He raised his voice to prove his point and garnered a few sour looks for his trouble.

"Well, I'm sorry," she apologised sarcastically. "Sue won't be in today."

Jack tried to get the conversation on a less awkward footing. "Lucy, I've thought long and hard about this and I know it's the right thing to do."

"In that case I'm happy for you, but you're not the one who lay awake most of the night listening to your best friend crying her heart out." She searched his face for any sign of a reaction but he turned away from her and walked back to his chair.

o-xxx-o

He'd picked up the phone to call her several times during the course of the day but each time he'd changed his mind and hung up before he'd even finished entering the number, convincing himself that it was better this way. If she hated him then it would be easier for her to move on.

The day had dragged by and as soon as he got home he removed his tie, changed into his running shoes and hit the pavement, hoping to work off some of the tension in his body. Since he'd spoken to Lucy he'd begun to doubt his reasoning. It had been a knee-jerk reaction to the situation he'd found himself in but he knew he'd be lost if he stayed. Anyway, it was too late now… his bridges were burned; his friends disgusted and the woman he loved probably despised him.

He was on his third circuit when he saw her… She was sitting alone on the wall of the fountain, wrapped in a large winter coat, nervously fidgeting as strangers came too close to her the way she always did when Levi wasn't with her. He wanted to run, turn in the opposite direction and pretend that he hadn't seen her but the pull was too strong. She looked so lonely and vulnerable and his protective instincts automatically kicked in.

He approached slowly so that he wouldn't scare her, stopping a foot or so away and crouching down, waiting for her to look in his direction. When she finally did his heart felt like it was crying and he put a hand to his mouth, choking down the emotions that welled inside him as they both got to their feet. They held each other's gaze and then she was in his arms, neither of them knowing quite how she'd got there. Jack could feel her body trembling against him and he held her close for few minutes before stepping back and turning her towards home, his hand resting in its usual place on her back.

o-xxx-o

Unlocking the door he ushered her inside, turned on the light and moved to the centre of the room. Sue remained close to the entrance way.

"Sue…"

She held up her hand to ask him to give her a moment but when she eventually tried to speak, nothing would come out. "**Why**?"

He attempted a reply but his voice was a reticent as hers.

"**Why are you doing this**?" She asked again.

Jack sat down heavily on the couch, burying his head in his hands before rubbing his face and lowering them to settle restlessly on his lap. "…Because I can't work with you anymore."

When she didn't reply he looked over to see if she was signing but she just stared at him, an expression on her face that looked as though he'd just slapped her.

"**What did I do to make you hate me**?" The tears were streaming down her face unchecked and his eyes started to fill in response.

He swallowed to try and rid himself of the lump that had formed in his throat and his heart lurched. "I don't hate you." He sighed resignedly.

Sue crossed the room and knelt down in front of him so she could see his face, taking his hands in hers, her eyes pleading with him to talk to her as he almost sobbed in defeat, knowing that it was too late. Their working relationship, their friendship, everything they'd shared lay in tatters – he had nothing left to lose.

"I thought that I could do it and I was making a pretty good job of it until yesterday morning."

"What?" She questioned softly.

"Working with you… Being there if you needed me… as a colleague and a friend…"

"You always have been."

He shrugged and swallowed again, "but never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that I'd fall…" He paused for a second and then continued shakily. "Even after you scared the hell out of me by taking the job in New York, I still couldn't admit to myself that…"

Sue remained silent, nibbling on her bottom lip as she waited for him to continue.

"And then yesterday, when you and Lucy were talking about your date, I knew I just couldn't put myself through it again…" He was well aware that he was rambling but he'd never been any good at this stuff, he just hoped that she was following - prayed she was… but he couldn't bring himself to look at her and find out. He felt her squeeze his hand as if she knew how difficult this was for him. Taking a breath he ploughed on haltingly.

"Jonathan Hammond, of all people, I never saw that one coming." He sniffed derisively. "But then again maybe I should have." He let out a self-deprecating laugh. "He'd already slept with one of my ex-girlfriends so why not steal the woman I love." He stumbled on without even realizing what he'd finally confessed. "Kind of ironic really… Anyhow, something inside me just snapped and I knew I couldn't do it anymore." He trailed off, still looking down at the floor and avoiding eye contact.

"You love me?" She asked tremulously and for a moment he was tempted to deny he'd said it but now wasn't the time. If he wanted to salvage anything from this he knew he had to be honest.

"…More than life."

He almost broke down completely when she let go of his hands and stood up, not daring even to breathe, knowing that he'd probably just hammered the last nail into the coffin of their friendship. He didn't even stir when she sat down on the seat beside him.

"Jack…"

"It's okay," he sighed. "I just wanted you to know why I did what I did. I can't work with you any longer in case I say or do something to upset you or compromise your career with the bureau. I know how important your work and the rules are to you."

"Jack…" She reached out and rested her right hand against his cheek, gently turning him to face her. His body shuddered involuntarily as it reacted to her touch. She waited until his eyes met hers and the pain that she saw in their depths tore at her soul. "Is that what's been stopping you? …A few stupid rules?"

He studied her face nervously as he waited for her to continue, his heart almost leaping out of his chest as he watched her mouth break into a smile, reminding him of sunshine after the rain but he remained guarded.

Sue shook her head in amazement. "Didn't you ever wonder about all those guys I went out with?"

"I tried not too." There was a jealous edge to his voice.

"And why the relationships never lasted?" She added ignoring his outburst.

"Why?" He asked, suddenly feeling out of his depth.

"They all had one thing in common."

"And what was that?" he questioned not sure he really wanted to know.

"They weren't you."

He closed his eyes to hide the wave of feelings flooding through him, bewildered by the twists and turns the conversation had taken. It was supposed to have been goodbye, the death of something precious… Yet now, a small seed of hope was taking shape inside him, but could he trust it? He'd been wrong so many times… visions of Allie and Jessica springing into his mind.

"Jack...?"

He finally looked at her, not sure what he expected to see, but the love shining in her eyes had him gasping for breath. "Sue, say it please, I'm a guy, you need to spell it out for me."

Sue's smile widen still further as she started to finger-spell for him and he frowned at her as he captured her hand in his to prevent her going further.

"Just say it" He asked again. "Please…"

"I love you Jack Hudson."

"And I love you Sue Thomas, more than I ever thought it possible to love anyone." They stared at each other in sheer wonderment.

"What about those rules," he whispered, not wanting to break the spell but knowing it had to be addressed.

"We'll just have to be careful that we don't get caught."

"You need to be very sure about this because if we start a relationship then I'm not going to be able to stop it again. I'm not made that way."

"I'm sure." She leaned in to him. "Now, would you please kiss me?"

Closing the gap between them, he caressed her lips with his, wanting to savour each and every moment and then he moved up, planting butterfly kisses on her nose, her eyes, finally returning to her mouth and pausing for just a second before covering it with his own; his hand snaking round to tangle in her hair even as she cupped the back of his head pulling him closer - the passion between, them growing until they could barely breathe…

Tearing himself away, Jack searched her face trying to gauge how far she wanted to take this. His desire burned for her… His body ached for her… but he fought for control, wanting the decision to be hers alone.

Sue could see the emotions as they played out across his face… the hunger in his beautiful, expressive brown eyes, his breathing rapid as he waited for her to respond. A momentary panic seized her… ~ What if she ruined it? What if he regretted it later? Was it too soon? ~

She closed her eyes, effectively cutting herself off from the outside world, and tried to clear her mind. One thought suddenly jumping to the forefront of the jumble. This was the point they'd been working up to since the day they'd met. The dinners, the banter, the flirting… They'd been dating all this time without ever really acknowledging it. Opening them again, her eyes locked with his and she knew what she wanted without even a shadow of a doubt.

"Sue…"

She leaned into him again, her fingers trembling only slightly as she undid a few of the buttons on his shirt and slid her hand inside to stroke the bare skin of his chest and stomach; feeling him groan from the sheer pleasure of it – the sensation travelling downwards and settling near the pit of her stomach.

"Sue..?"

"Love me…" she whispered into his mouth as she kissed him again, her tongue tangling with his. "…But please be patient with me, I've never done this before."

This time he didn't even attempt to hide the sound that escaped him. "I will… I promise…" he whispered as he scooped her up into his arms and carried her to the bedroom.

o-xxx-o o-xxx-o


End file.
